Rapid deployment method for recovering oil from beaches

Abstract

A rapid deployment system for recovering oil from beachers includes an articulated vehicle for propelling and suspending a vacuum head above a beach or the like. A selected area of the beach is irrigated with sufficient quantities of water to saturate the selected area. Oil deposited on the beach is driven to the surface. A sufficient quantity and velocity of air moves over the surface beneath the vacuum head to develop a water column upon which resides a frothy foam mixture of air, water and oil which is drawn into the head. In the vacuum head, the velocity of the air flow is suddenly and significantly reduced above a fluid sump wherein entrained oil and water droplets fall into a sump for processing outside of the vacuum head. A metal auger can be provided within the vacuum head to pump oil from pools and separate entrained oil droplets from the high velocity air flow. A special terrain vehicle which propels and supports the vacuum head is modular and can be transported by helicopter with the entire system.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for decontaminating a particulate media which has been contaminated with a fluid contaminate having a density less than water comprising the steps of: irrigating the particulate media with sufficient water to substantially saturate the media;   applying an air flow across a surface of the media and substantially normal thereto with sufficient velocity so as to develop a water column supporting a frothy mixture of air, water and fluid contaminant;   directing the mixture into an air/fluid separation chamber without reducing the velocity of the air flow below a critical velocity so that droplets of the water and the fluid contaminant remain entrained in the air flow;   reducing the velocity of the air flow within the air/fluid separation chamber below the critical velocity so that the droplets of the water and the fluid contaminant fall into the fluid sump and coalesce into a water/contaminant fluid mixture; and   removing the water/contaminant fluid mixture from the fluid sump.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, including the steps of receiving the water/contaminant fluid mixture from the sump in a fluid contaminant/water separator which is physically distinct form the air/fluid separation chamber and substantially separating the fluid contaminant from the water to produce relatively pure water and relatively pure contaminant. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2, including the step of transferring the relatively pure contaminant to a storage chamber. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3, wherein the relatively pure water is used to irrigate the particulate media. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 4, wherein all of the recited method steps are performed on and from a self propelled platform applying a pressure of less than 6 lbs./in 2  to the media surface. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1, wherein the critical velocity is approximately 60 ft./sec. 
     
     
       7. A method for recovering petroleum or other liquid contaminants from beaches, comprising the steps of: irrigating a selected area of the beach with water until substantially saturated therewith unless the selected area is already substantially saturated;   positioning a vacuum head above the selected area and generating an air flow across and normal to the selected area so that a frothy mixture of air, petroleum and water are drawn into the vacuum head;   reducing the velocity of the air flow within the vacuum head below a critical velocity so that water and petroleum droplets entrained in the air flow fall into a sump to form a fluid mixture within the sump and relatively pure air within the vacuum head; and   expelling the relatively pure air from the vacuum head and removing the fluid mixture from the vacuum   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7, including the steps of admitting the fluid mixture to a petroleum/water separator to produce relatively pure petroleum and relatively pure water. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8, including the step of transferring the relatively pure petroleum to a storage chamber. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9, wherein all of the recited method steps are performed on and from a self propelled platform applying a pressure of less than 6 lbs./in 2  to the beach. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 8, including the step of using the relatively pure water to irrigate the selected area. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 7, wherein the critical velocity is approximately 60 ft./sec. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 7, including the step of passing the water and petroleum droplets entrained in the air flow over an oleophilic surface within the vacuum head and before reducing the velocity of the air flow so that a substantial portion of petroleum droplets contacting the oleophilic surface tend to adhere thereto and are removed from the air flow. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13 including the step of substantially removing the petroleum droplets from the oleophilic surface. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14, wherein the oleophilic surface is a rotating, metal auger having a greater affinity for petroleum than for water.